Saying that her heart was beating erratically would be an understatement. She was panicking. The driver had come out of the cab and was talking to Sultan. She knew what he was talking about. Probably complaining of the fact that she almost had complained to the police about him.

She noticed him nodding to whatever the driver had said before he took a step closer towards the cab.

"Come out." He said. She couldn't hear him because of the window glass but she could easily understand what he was saying by the movement of his lips. Obviously, she was in no mood to obey.

When she showed no sign of coming out, he knew she was scared. Therefore, he proceeded to open the door himself. As soon as he clutched the handle from the outside, Shreya did the same from the inside. Both for the opposite intention.

He gave her a questioning look, but she didn't care. The confinement of the cab was her sweet haven right now. She didn't want to know what he was planning to do after hearing her plan of escape even after clear warnings. And not just an attempt at escaping but also reporting against him to the police.

He tried a little more pressure on the handle but she was rather fast and quickly pushed the door lock.

"This isn't a game, Shreya! Come out!" He said. A little crease formed between his brows.

She didn't understand him this time because all her attention was focused on the door. So she didn't have the opportunity to lip-read him.

When finally she managed to look at him, she saw him standing calmly outside the cab. He wasn't trying to open the door anymore. And she wondered why. He stood straight with arms crossed and a bored expression. It was clear that he wasn't very pleased.

After some seconds passed by, she understood what he was doing. He was giving her the time to come out herself. After all, she wasn't going to stay here always. Sometime or someday she will have to come out.

With a sigh, she finally decided to come out. If it was going to be her last day, she was going to live the moment with dignity.

She had half expected him to shout at her and half expected him to punish her, but he didn't do either. Instead, he surprised her like always.

"Welcome back." She heard him say but he did not sound happy, nor did he smile. It clearly sounded sarcastic.

In response, she maintained silence and looked everywhere but him.

A squeal left her mouth when she felt him grasp her wrist firmly as he began pulling her with him inside the building. After few stumbled steps she stood her ground making him look at her in rather displeased manner, again.

"This isn't a movie, Sultan! You can't keep me here. As a citizen, I have full right to not be here. It's against my wish. I wan...."

"Hush!" He said making her mouth shut immediately. "Follow me. I do not want to make a scene here. " He said.

Shreya immediately looked around her and indeed they had started to become the center of attraction by their behavior. Sighing again she hesitated a bit more before beginning to follow him inside. 

When they were waiting for the elevator, she tried again to free her hand from his grasp. SHe didn't like the way he held her hand as if he had full rights to do so. But, of course, he gave her that same frustrated look and she diverted her gaze again. Two women also came near them probably to use the escalator. Shreya couldn't be happier. She would not be inside the elevator with him alone. 

When the doors to the elevator opened, he pulled her along with him and flashed his palm to the two women, clearly stating them to wait. She was about to protest when the two ladies voluntarily stepped aside. She narrowed her eyes at him but he could care less. Her anxiety stepped to a new level when she saw him tapping on the floor where she wasn't staying earlier. Instead, he pressed to the topmost floor. 

"Why are we going to the thirtieth floor?" She asked. 

"To talk." He answered.

"Why there?" 

"That's where my room is." 

"Then why are we going there?" She asked again.

This time he didn't answer. But, Shreya was persistent.

"Sultan! I have the right..."

"Will you stop with all the rights and freedom? This is no 1947!" He said, raising his voice for the first time. She flinched at the tone. 

"Sorry!" He immediately apologised after seeing her scared feature.

When they reached his room, she had no interest in looking around and witness the utmost beauty that was his room. She didn't complain either when she heard him lock the room from inside. Coming in front of her he cupped her face lovingly with his palms. He noticed that this time she didn't swat away his hands. Still her eyes clearly described how she didn't like his touch. 

"Shreya, look! I respect you a lot. And I also know that you do not want to stay here. It is quite natural. But, you also do not understand the severity of the situation. One wrong move from your side and all this could collapse. Didn't I tell you that you would thank me someday for keeping you here. Can't you be a little patient until then? Is it too much to ask? Huh?" He asked. His calm voice did wonders in her mind and she didn't like it. He had a kind of hypnotising voice. She gathered strength and looked in his eyes. 

"You do not know how much freedom you have been given here. Otherwise the guards would have shot you on the spot as soon as you stepped outside the exit door of the building. You are the only one who does not require an outpass or a reason to step outside or inside this building. This place is full of secrets. And it will be like that until my mission gets successful. Till then you will be here. Your safety is more important to me than your futile attempts to escape."

"I do not want to a part of your mission." She pleaded as he pulled his hands back.

"Tsch! Who said that you have to be a part of this mission?"

"Staying here with you will indirectly involve me in your mission. Whatever it is." 

"No, it will not." He said confidently. "No one even know that you are here...with me. " He said. 

"Yeah?"

"yes."

"Then... then can you keep it like that? If my parents get to know about me staying at your place, they would be very upset. " She pleaded again.

There was a short silence from his side making her wonder about what he was thinking.

"You tried to run away. Above that you wanted to inform the police about me! Do you think this would help me in keeping your little demand?" He asked, a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. 

Shreya could just lower her gaze in embarrassment. 

"Fine! I'll do as you say until and unless you do not try to run away and pull any stunts like this. " He said. 

Shreya tried to weigh the situation. Her calculative mind did another analysis. 

"Okay. I won't try to run away. But, I need assurance about something." She said making him curious. 

"What is it?" He asked.

"You will not touch me in any way till my stay here." She said clearly indicating the moment when he cupped her face and grasped her wrist to bring her here. His eyes visibly narrowed clearly stating that he didn't like the deal. Still, being the gentleman that he was, he agreed.

"Okay. I won't touch you as long as you won't." He said. She wanted to laugh right now. Why would she touch him? But she maintained her expression and nodded. 

"But to ensure that we won't be seeing a repeat of what you did today, I will have to take a strict action. " He said making her narrow her eyes. 

Was he talking about some punishment indirectly? She wondered.

"wh.what do you mean?" She asked.

"Every time that you try to run away, I will keep on postponing the meeting with your parents and brother. Every time that you deny to eat, I will make sure that the cook won't be eating as well. And every time that you try to create any disturbance in the premise, the guards assigned to you will have to deal with me...personally." 

"Are you threatening me?" She asked hoping he would deny.

"Yes." He said loud and clear. 

They had a good staring session before he spoke.

"Now, go back to your room in the twenty fourth floor. I am sure you will find the correct path this time." He said in the same mocking tone. 

As she opened the door to go outside, she heard him speak.

"We will have lunch after an hour. Ananya will come to guide you the way to the dining room. I will see you there. " He announced. In response she could just nod hesitantly and walk towards the elevator. 

When she turned around after entering the elevator, her eyes met his again. He was looking at her directly. It scared her...the way he looked at her. She immediately tapped the twenty fourth floor and kept on tapping the closing symbol hoping that the doors would close sooner. 

When the doors closed, she couldn't help but cry as she sat on the floor, trying hard not to cry. Whereas, he knew he had messed up really big this time.